The Rockets are now on an eight-game winning streak following Kevin Durant’s 29-point performance in tonight’s 113-102 win over the 76ers. This streak began near the end of March, following a string of inconsistent games where the Rockets were 6-8 in March after an overtime loss to the Timberwolves.
Ime Udoka and his coaching staff also faced a lot of scrutiny with his players for several issues, like inconsistent starting lineups and a lack of effective offensive sets. Moreover, Tari Eason went through a tough shooting slump where he made only one three-point shot in the first 18 days of March.
Following tonight’s win, Kevin Durant seemed to back the coaching staff, praised their strategies, and also highlighted how coaches tend to face criticism even for actions initiated by players.
“Most definitely, it is going to help us because you never know in the playoffs you might have to switch your lineup as a series goes on. As you advance, you need your whole team if you want to be a successful team in the playoffs, so we’ve got to give the guys credit,” said Durant while talking about the impact of Udoka’s constant rotations.
“Reed, Tari, Aaron Holiday, sometimes Aaron doesn’t play a week and then comes out and gives us a good stretch of ball. Reed might start one game, then he’s coming off the bench, Tari’s the same way; they are professionals who come in and do their jobs and don’t complain.”
“So that’s the sign of a good team and a good leader, that is the head coach who is instilling those values in each player,” said Durant in conclusion to the question. A reporter then asked Durant about how the Rockets have managed to resolve their fourth-quarter issues.
“Simplifying, I think we try to run some sets, some pet plays that we run, and they’re trying to sell out, trying to get the steal, speed us up, and get the game going a little bit. So, sometimes we could just keep it simple, run off the screen, beat your man off the dribble, run out and space the floor, drive and kick, you know?
“Sometimes when that pressure gets to you, that’s when you try to run your offense, run through sets, and it boils down to offense a lot when the guys are denying everywhere… There are a lot of times when we try to walk the ball up, call an intricate set, and that’s not on the coach because we call a lot of sets too as players, so we’ve just got to simplify,” said Durant while seemingly putting more accountability on the players’ shoulders.
Subsequently, a reporter asked Durant about what advice he gave to Tari Eason when he was undergoing an inconsistent run. Eason was a top-three shooter in the league in terms of three-point shooting percentage until January. But in February, arguably after the Rockets beat the Thunder 112-106, his shooting woes began.
He shot 10-40 from beyond the arc in February since that game (25.0 3P%) and 1-28 in the first 18 days of March before finally ending the slump against the Hawks. Four games later, the Rockets began their winning streak, which they can arguably attribute to Eason finding his form once again.
“Sometimes, to be honest, you just need to dive into the negativity and use that hate as fuel. Listen to what people are saying about you and internally take it personally. It’s just basketball, it’s just basketball s— talk, it’s not like they’re disrespecting your family.”
“And even if they are taking it that far, then who cares? You’re playing the game that you love every day. When you look at the big picture, all of that stuff doesn’t matter. What got you here is your love of the game, and Tari just focused in.”
“He stopped worrying about us so much. He’s such a good teammate that he cares about his teammates so much. I just told him to focus on you as much as you can. You don’t have to talk to us all the time; we know that you engage and that you care.”
“So if you’ve seen his face in the last few games, he’s always been on the ‘next play mentality’. Worry about how you’re going to be better in the next play, and even if you have a bad play, just move on.”
“You can see that growth over the last couple of weeks, and that’s going to help him out for the rest of his career. Sometimes it’s good to go through those tough stretches, feeling that negativity and hate from everybody, and let it fuel you,” concluded Durant.
The 37-year-old finished tonight’s game leading all scorers for the Rockets with 29 points, seven rebounds, and five assists while shooting 10-18 from the field (55.6 FG%) and 3-6 from beyond the arc (50.0 3P%).
Meanwhile, Eason finished with 15 points, eight rebounds, and two assists while going 5-10 from the floor (50.0 FG%) and 3-6 from beyond the three-point line (50.0 FG%).
The Rockets are now two games away from ending their regular season. They have improved to 51-29 following this win, but are still tied with the Lakers, who have managed to beat the Warriors tonight.
Since the Lakers have the tiebreaker over them and the Nuggets are still one game ahead of both these franchises, it increasingly looks likely that the Rockets will be facing the team in purple and gold for the playoffs.
If they resolve their shooting woes and internal inconsistencies with the coaching strategies, then the Rockets will be considered the favorites to win that series, with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves both expected to potentially miss the first round with their injuries.
Do you think this winning streak is a green flag for the Rockets going into the playoffs? Or are there any key issues that the Rockets have not addressed? I certainly think this is a good sign for them, but the playoffs are a whole different ballgame altogether. Let us know what you think in the comments section.
